As Jiang Chen and Yuihama took their seats, the bell for class rang, its sound like an invisible ruler, sharply tapping on everyone's nerves.
The hushed whispers in the classroom were instantly cut off, leaving only the soft clatter of the chalk box against the podium.
The door was pushed open, and a high-heeled shoe appeared first, followed by Hiratsuka Shizuka's signature black trench coat and the scent of a half-smoked cigarette.
She hadn't lit the cigarette; she just habitually held it between her fingers, making a vague half-circle in the air as if using invisible smoke to dispel the students' weariness.
"Stand up--" The class monitor's brief command was followed by a chorus of chairs scraping against the floor.
Jiang Yang bent down with them, his peripheral vision catching Yui Yuigahama in the front row tucking her bangs behind her ear, revealing the tips of her ears, which were flushed—likely from running back to the classroom.
"Sit down." Hiratsuka Shizuka slammed her lesson plan onto the podium, the metal clasp hitting the wooden surface with a crisp "clang."
Her gaze swept across the classroom like a dull knife scraping over each student's face, finally stopping at the last row by the window.
"Jiang Chen." She bit on the filter of her cigarette, her voice muffled yet clear.
"Come to the teachers' office during lunch."
"Yes."
Soon, lunchtime arrived, and Jiang Chen put his textbooks back in his bag, getting up to go to the teachers' office to find Hiratsuka Shizuka.
"Please accept my condolences regarding your parents; don't be too sad," Hiratsuka Shizuka comforted Jiang Yang in the teachers' office.
"Xiao Jing, don't worry, I'm not that fragile."
Jiang Chen's voice was light but carried a maturity beyond his years.
"Hmm, that puts my mind at ease... Wait, what did you just call me? Xiao Jing?"
"You rascal, you've gotten bold, daring to call me Xiao Jing right to my face. Do you want to taste my fist?" Hiratsuka Shizuka raised an eyebrow, her knuckles cracking.
"Doesn't that show our respect for you...?! Wait, Xiao Jing, don't you dare lay a hand on me; teachers aren't allowed to hit students..."
"Ah..."
A pained sound echoed from the teachers' office hallway, startling the students passing by.
Jiang Chen walked out with a bitter expression, closing the door behind him and rubbing his shoulders with both hands.
"Hiratsuka Shizuka's strength is immense; she said she'd rub my shoulders, but they almost broke."
"That brat, he seems like a different person since he came back," Hiratsuka Shizuka muttered softly.
Shirakawa Miwa, the female teacher from the next class sitting opposite Hiratsuka Shizuka, smiled and said, "Doesn't that just show how energetic Hiratsuka Sensei's students are?"
Hiratsuka Shizuka smiled and waved her hand, saying, "If I get a few more like him, I might start to wonder if I can keep this teaching job."
After leaving the teachers' office, Jiang Chen immediately ran to the cafeteria.
As soon as he entered, he saw Tojo Nozomi sitting by the window, smiling and waving at him.
Jiang Chen was startled for a moment, then quickly walked over, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"Senpai, why are you here?" he asked in a low voice, his tone surprised, as Tojo Nozomi usually didn't eat lunch in the cafeteria, always bringing her own bento.
"I heard someone was called to the teachers' office and guessed they might not have time to buy lunch, so I bought lunch for someone here."
"Thank you, Senpai." Jiang Chen's face was full of smiles.
Seeing Jiang Chen start to eat lunch, Tojo Nozomi pulled out her chair and stood up, saying, "Chen Jun, eat slowly; I'm leaving now, the Student Council still has some matters to attend to."
"Okay, thank you, Senpai."
"Then, see you after school."
"See you after school."
After finishing lunch, Jiang Chen returned to the classroom and sat down to see Yuihama turn around with a notebook, saying happily, "You didn't take any notes at home these past three days, did you? I'll let you see mine."
Jiang Chen looked at the 'art' in Yuihama's notebook.
"Oh, great master, please forgive me, for I truly cannot comprehend your art."
Yuihama slapped the notebook against her chest with a "thwack," puffing out her cheeks: "Hey! I spent three nights sacrificing my TV-watching time to organize this!"
Jiang Chen quickly put his hands together in apology: "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm not saying the content is bad, it's just..." He pointed to the jumble of lines, arrows, and scattered hearts, stars, and kittens that looked like they'd been hit by a tornado, "...it's just that these symbols are a bit beyond my comprehension."
Yuihama blushed and said, "It's just a tiny mistake; anyway, as long as I can understand it, that's what matters."
Jiang Chen thought to himself ( ° ー ° 〃 ), *You understand it, but I don't! What good are those notes to me?! Damn it (throws bottle).*
"Pfft."
"Xiao Qi, did you just laugh?" Yuihama suddenly turned to look at Hachiman Hikigaya.
Hachiman Hikigaya: "I didn't laugh, I just suddenly remembered a relative's child's scribbles, I'm not laughing... Pfft."
Yuihama said angrily, "You clearly are laughing."
Hachiman Hikigaya, beside her, covered his mouth with his hand to suppress his laughter. *I usually don't laugh, unless I can't help it.* "Hahahahaha..."
"Xiao Qi, you're still laughing." Yuihama, her face flushed, pounded Hachiman Hikigaya with her small fists.
"Jiang Chen-classmate is laughing too, why are you only hitting me?" Hachiman Hikigaya quickly used both hands to block Yuihama's fists.
"Because you're closest to me! I'm going to tell Yukinoshita on both of you!" With that, Yuihama put her notebook away and quickly left her seat, jogging out of the classroom.
"Jiang Chen-classmate, aren't you worried about Yui Yuigahama-classmate being angry?" Hachiman Hikigaya asked curiously.
"Yui Yuigahama-classmate will come back all smiles by herself in a bit, no need to worry. After all, your club president is best at coaxing her, isn't she?" Jiang Chen said, waving his hands.
Hachiman Hikigaya: "...? Why do I always feel like you know Yukinoshita and Yuihama very well?"
"Uh... that." Jiang Chen rubbed his nose. "Maybe it's just a feeling." *I can't exactly say I saw it in an anime, can I?*
Sure enough, after a while, Yuihama came back happily.
"Xiao Qi, Yukinoshita wants you to go see her!" Yuihama said with a smug expression.
Hachiman Hikigaya: "I..."
Hikigaya went to the Service Club with a bewildered expression, then returned with a look of utter despair.
"Why did the world where only I get hurt come true?" Hachiman Hikigaya's face showed the expression of someone who started as a spectator but ended up as the main culprit.
Recalling how Yukinoshita had thoroughly criticized him in the Service Club, he secretly vowed that he would make Yukinoshita pay the price for a good man not fighting with a woman. Yes, that's right.
The class bell rang again, and the three of them returned to their seats.
Time slowly passed, and soon it was time for school to end.